Tag: mystery

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Published July 3rd, 2025 by Century
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Ficiton, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Ficiton

Welcome to my review for this nerve-shredding thriller, Thank you to Century for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

He’s the perfect man.

He says he loves you.

You think he might even be made for you.

Before long he’s moved into your house – and into your heart.

And then he leaves for days at a time. You don’t know where he’s gone or who he’s with.

And you realise – if you looked back – you’d say to yourself:

DON’T LET HIM IN.

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MY REVIEW:

Nick seems like the perfect man. He’s charming, sweet, thoughtful, says all the right things and buys you gifts. So what if things are going faster than you’d usually like. When it’s right, it’s right. Except when it’s not. Because behind the charming veneer Nick is a conman who exploits women for his own gain. And you are his next victim. 

The Queen of the psychological thriller has done it again! Lisa Jewell is back with a nerve-shredding story that blew me away. I was completely in her thrall and inhaled this book in under a day; desperate to untangle the twisted web she had woven. Psychologically rich, keenly observed and cleverly choreographed, this book showcases Jewell as a master of her craft. Jewell has mentioned being a fan of true crime documentaries and this book certainly has that vibe, which I loved. And, that ending! Omg! I fell for it again, another trick pulled out of the hat right when I was sure it was all over, changing everything with a single line. Now I understand why people have told her they threw the book across the room after finishing. It’s sneaky and I’m totally here for it. I’ll happily keep falling for your tricks Ms. Jewell. 

The story is populated by a large cast of impeccably developed and dynamic characters who feel relatable, mostly likeable, and had me invested in their lives. At the centre of it all is Nick, the charming conman who will smile at your face and tell you pretty lies, all while he’s actually thinking about the fact he loathes you. This toxic, cold and calculating man has zero redeeming qualities and is one of the most odious and dangerous characters I’ve ever read. Every time you think he can’t sink any lower, this guy goes down another five floors. Jewell perfectly balances the charm he would need to be successful at his con while allowing the reader a glimpse inside his twisted mind. It’s chilling and I hated him with a passion. I felt deeply for the women caught up in his web and desperately wished I could save them. 

Heart-poundingly tense, sinister, twisty and unsettling, Don’t Let Him In is an addictive thriller that has me bowing at Ms. Jewell’s throne. Not to be missed! And remember: if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Jewell was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains and The Night She Disappeared, all of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over thirty languages. She lives in north London with her husband and two daughters.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The House at Devil’s Neck by Tom Mead

Published August 14th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Mystery, Historical Mystery, Crime Series, Ghost Horror

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this entertaining locked-room mystery. Thank you to Head of Zeus for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

LIKE LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES? YOU’LL LOVE TOM MEAD’S JOSEPH SPECTOR SERIES!

This gripping locked-room mystery sees Joseph Spector investigate his most sinister case yet: murderous machinations at a haunted manor house.

A former First World War field hospital, the spooky old mansion at Devil’s Neck attracts spirit-seekers from far and wide.

Illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector knows the house of old. With stories spreading of a phantom soldier making mischief, he joins a party of visitors in search of the truth.

But the house, located on a lonely causeway, is quickly cut off by floods. The stranded visitors are soon being killed off one by one.

With old ally Inspector Flint working on a complex case that has links to Spector’s investigation, the two men must connect the dots before Devil’s Neck claims Spector himself as its next victim.

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MY REIVEW:

August, 1939. A mismatched group of people are on their way to spend the weekend at Devil’s Neck, a haunted house that was formerly a hospital for injured soldiers. Shortly after they arrive, medium Adaline La Motte holds a seance that seems to prove there’s a supernatural presence at the house. Some guests remain skeptical while others believe. As the summer storm rages outside and isolates the manor house and its guests, one of them is found dead in what illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector declares a murder. Is the killer amongst the group? Or is someone else hiding at the house? And will they survive the night?
Meanwhile, Inspector George Flint is investigating the apparent suicide of Rodney Edgecomb, the only suspect in a 25-year-old murder case. But Flint suspects there is more to this case than at first appears and finds evidence that Edgecomb was murdered. Flint’s investigation soon leads him to Devil’s Neck and links his case with Spector’s. But can he get to the house before it’s too late?

Clever, complex and captivating, The House at Devil’s Neck is a riveting Agatha Christie-esque locked room mystery. Well written, skillfully choreographed and intricately interwoven, Tom Mead had me in his thrall as he told the story over the course of one day and night. The book is filled with a large cast of colourful and captivating characters that leapt from the pages. Joseph Spector and George Flint were great protagonists. I loved that they work very differently, learning from one another to become better investigators. I loved that everyone was a suspect and that once again Mead has made it hard to predict the culprit. I got to enjoy the ride and be just as shocked as the characters at the twists and revelations and as Spector finally unmasked the villain.

But what I enjoyed most about this story was the haunted house element, a trope that Mead executes perfectly. It is eerily atmospheric from the start, the rain lashing down outside adds an air of foreboding that felt almost like an omen and a warning of what was to come. Then, when the group arrives at Devil’s Neck, they find a house that looks like a creature hulking in the darkness and has become an isolated island because of the flood. It’s a place ripe for supernatural goings on so it isn’t a surprise when strange things begin to happen. Add in a number of strange deaths and unexplained happenings and  you’ve got a story that will have you on the edge of your seat. 

Chilling tense and twisty, this entertaining read is perfect for anyone who likes their cosy mysteries with a dash of darkness. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Mead is an author, translator, and aficionado of Golden Age crime fiction. He is the creator of the Joseph Spector locked room mystery series, which has been translated into ten languages (and counting), and is soon to be adapted for the screen. His debut novel, Death and the Conjuror, was nominated for the Capital Crime Award for Debut Novel of the Year and the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown. It was also named one of the best mysteries of the year by The Guardian and Publishers Weekly. Its sequel, The Murder Wheel, was named one of the Best Traditional Mysteries of 2023 by Crimereads and the Daily Telegraph, as well as nominated for a Capital Crime Award and longlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger Award. His third novel, Cabaret Macabre was published in August 2024, along with a collection of short stories, The Indian Rope Trick and Other Violent Entertainments, in November 2024.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: After the Storm by G. D. Wright

Published August 1st, 2024 by Avon Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspenseful, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my review for this outstanding debut. Thank you to Avon Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘So compelling and tightly plotted I couldn’t put it down’ CLAIRE DOUGLAS

‘Tense and emotional…A dark beating heart of a novel’ GILLIAN McALLISTER

‘Totally addictive. One of the most tense and gripping thrillers I’ve read in ages’ LISA JEWELL

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Don’t miss the gripping debut crime novel in which a child’s tragic drowning rips a small community apart with devastating consequences…

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TWO CHILDREN WENT INTO THE SEA.

When Andrew and Sophie take their daughter and her friend to the beach on a stormy day, they are momentarily distracted and both children are washed out to sea. Andrew dives in, but comes back ashore with only one child – Maria, his own daughter. Joe, the son of his best friend and local police officer, Chris, has drowned. But it was just a tragic accident…wasn’t it?

ONLY ONE CAME OUT ALIVE.

As Sergeant Mike Adams and DS Sue Willmott investigate what really happened in the water that afternoon, the ripple effects of the tragedy tear the community apart. The detectives must discover the truth before their colleague – bereaved and desperate father, Chris – takes the investigation into his own hands…

BUT WHO IS TO BLAME?

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MY REVIEW:

Andrew and Sophie take their daughter, Maria, and her best friend, Joe, to the beach on a stormy day. The kids are happily playing when a moment of distraction changes everything and both kids are washed out to sea. Andrew dives into the water to find them, but only comes back with one child. 
When Joe’s parents, Chris and Linda, learn of his death, they want answers. Could his death be more than a tragic accident? As the police investigate, the community is torn apart by the ripple effects of the tragedy. Chris is out for vengeance. Can the police get answers before he takes matters into his own hands?

Heartbreaking, tense, atmospheric and consuming, After the Storm is a remarkable debut. Exquisitely written, deftly plotted and keenly observed, this is a story enmeshed in raw grief, utter devastation and white hot rage. G. D. Wright showcases himself as a talent to watch on the thriller scene, delivering heart-pounding tension and emotions that go straight to your soul in a story that wrecked havoc on my heart as well as my blood pressure. Losing a child is every parents’ worst nightmare and the scenes where they learn of their son’s death are some of the most heartbreakingly raw and evocative that I’ve ever read. I wiped tears from my eyes as their hearts shattered and he wrecked havoc on my heart as well as my blood pressure. I am in awe that this is a debut as it reads like the work of a veteran author. 

Before that tragic day it wasn’t just the kids who were friends, but the parents too, but afterwards they find themselves on opposite sides of the tragedy. While Chris and Linda try to wrap their heads around their life-shattering loss, a cloud of suspicion over Andrew. He fights to prove his innocence but he’s an unreliable narrator and is clearly hiding something. As time goes on, Chris is fueled by the fire of revenge and determined to see Andrew pay for what happened. As the reader, you feel for both sides and also don’t know what to believe as Wright keeps the truth close to the vest. 

For any book to be truly great, you need good characters and Wright has created a cast of brilliant characters who are richly drawn, relatable, made me care about them and made me feel invested in their lives. He makes us feel their emotions and allows us to step into each of their shoes. You can feel the love he put into each of these characters on every page and they are people that will stay with me.

Powerful, moving, unsparing and unforgettable, After the Storm is an absolute triumph. And that ending! Gaz, you totally broke me😭 Both this, and the follow-up Into the Fire, are must-reads for any thriller fans. 

Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

*I listented to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening free*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Amazon:
My name is Gary (pen name G.D. Wright) and I live on the south east coast of England with my wife and two young children.

I joined Kent Police at the age of 18, working on the front line in a variety of uniformed roles until the age of 29 when, completely out of the blue, I suffered two cardiac ‘events’, and was subsequently diagnosed with a hereditary and incurable disease of the heart (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy if you’re being fussy!). As a result, I had an internal defibrillator implanted in me, and I had to retire from the police aged 30.

One door closed, but another opened, and my wife and I bought a coffee shop in Ramsgate Harbour. We spent eight of the happiest years of our lives there but, when the kiddies came along, it just wasn’t sustainable. Family comes first, every single time (a theme in my books…), and the simple fact was that we knew our summers should be spent with the kids, not working seven days a week. In 2022, we sold our ‘third baby’ (the coffee shop, not an actual baby – although… what a plot line for the future… making a mental note…), and I took to writing full time.

Fast forward to now. I’ve signed a two book deal with Avon UK (part of the Harper Collins family), and my debut was released in August 2024. It’s called AFTER THE STORM, and it’s a police procedural with a twisty, emotional hook. My second novel, INTO THE FIRE, is coming in the summer of 2025.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine

Published August 7th, 2025 by Viper Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Horror Ficiton, Ghost Story

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this moreish thriller. Thank you to Viper for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A sizzling read sauced with scares galore’ – ORLANDO MURRIN
‘Forget five stars, this deserves a Michelin star’ – J.M. HEWITT
‘A deliciously dark tale with a mouth-watering mystery at its heart’ – T.M. LOGAN

She has the recipe for the perfect murder…

Maria Capello is a celebrity chef like no other. A household name with dozens of cookbooks and a weekly television show, not to mention her line of bestselling supermarket sauces. Once just the timid wife of famous chef Damien Capello, she stepped into the spotlight after his mysterious disappearance, an event she’s never spoken about publicly… until now.

Why is Maria willing to break her silence? When editor Thea Woods is invited to Maria’s remote farmhouse to work on the manuscript of her tell-all memoir, Thea spots an opportunity. She could be the one to finally learn whether the rumours are true. Did Maria kill Damien for his recipes and the legendary ‘secret ingredient’? Or is the truth even darker?

A deliciously rich thriller, perfect for readers of Bella Mackie’s How To Kill Your Family and Alexia Casale’s The Best Way to Bury Your Husband.

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MY REVIEW:

“I’ve always said recipes are like family. Even the best ones are hiding something.”

When Celebrity Chef Damien Capello disappeared suspicion immediately surrounded his wife, Maria. Rumours of murder, cannibalism and meatballs made of human meat soon followed. And, despite spending the last thirty years building up a culinary empire, she hasn’t been able to shake them since. Not even his suicide note being leaked could silence them. Now, Maria has decided it is time to finally reveal the truth of what happened the night her husband died in a new memoir. 

Thea Woods has no idea why Maria has chosen her to edit her memoir, but as a life-long fan she is thrilled, especially as it is the boost her career needs after a recent catastrophe that saw her job in jeopardy. Maria is incredibly secretive about her memoir, insisting that Thea can only read the manuscript in her house and in her presence, so Thea agrees to the strange demand and heads to their secluded farm. When she gets there things get weirder as Maria doles out the book chapter by chapter and even takes Thea’s phone and turns off the WiFi, leaving her totally isolated from the outside world.  As she begins to unravel the truth, Thea begins to wonder if the reason Damien’s body was never recovered has something to do with Maria’s mysterious secret ingredient. And, just maybe the rumours are true after all…

Darkly atmospheric, nail-bitingly suspenseful and mouthwateringly macabre, The Dead Husband Cookbook is a buffet of dark delights that consumed me. Danielle Valentine is a masterful sinister storyteller, toying with her reader and utilising an array of classic horror tropes to make her narrative drip with dread. Psychologically rich, unbearably tense, claustrophobic and darkly funny, she had me in her thrall. Valentine is also a master of misdirection. Every time I thought it was over or I knew where it was going she would deliver another twist that hit you like a bolt out of the blue. I fell for so many of her red herrings and she kept me turning the pages long after I should have turned out the light. And then there’s the recipes. Make sure you’ve eaten before you start this one as those recipes made me so hungry.

The story is told in three parts: Antipasto, Meat and Just Desserts and in a combination of traditional narration and mixed media. For part two – which is the largest chunk of the book – the story is told through a combination of Thea’s narration, a chapter from the memoir and then a recipe that comes at the end of that chapter. The memoir offers us a glimpse behind the curtain and a chance to finally discover the truth about not only Damien’s disappearance, but who this picture-perfect celebrity family really are. And that truth probably doesn’t look the way that you imagined. The story gets curiouser and curiouser, tension increasing as Valentine drops breadcrumbs of clues, drip-feeds truths and ends each chapter with a cliffhanger that keeps us turning the pages. I liked that Valentine wrote the book in this way – telling the family’s story from Thea’s point of view and through the memoir – because it added to the sense of mystery that surrounds the Capellos and puts the reader in the same position as Thea where we don’t know who or what we can trust.

Eerie, outrageous, moreish and heart-stoppingly tense, this is a must for anyone who likes their thrillers as dark as night. 

Rating: 🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Danielle Valentine is the New York Times bestselling author of Two Sides to Every Murder, How to Survive Your Murder, and Delicate Condition, which was recently adapted into the twelfth season of American Horror Story, starring Emma Roberts and Kim Kardashian. Danielle lives in a haunted house outside of New York City with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Published June 25th, 2024 by Orion
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE

A sweeping coming-of-age tale, an epic love story and a searing thriller, all unfolding on a vast canvas.

There is a moment when childhood ends.

For Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley and Saint Brown, it comes late one summer as Patch is abducted from their hometown. Devastated, Saint devotes her days to finding her best friend.

Held in total darkness, Patch is hopeless and alone – until he feels a hand in his. Though he never sees the girl, they fall in love. When he escapes, he’s left with only her voice and name – and promises to spend the rest of his life searching for her.

As Saint’s heart breaks for the boy she lost – and the man he becomes – she will shadow his journey, to uncover the truth behind who took him.

Over a lifetime driven by obsession, Patch and Saint must sacrifice everything for redemption, justice, and, ultimately, love – even if that means losing each other forever …

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MY REVIEW:

Monta Clare, Missouri, 1975. 13 year-old Joseph ‘Patch’ Macaulay is abducted after bravely stepping in when he sees a masked man assaulting a young girl. Patch is held captive in complete darkness. But he isn’t alone. Also in the dark is a girl named Grace who tells his stories and paints pictures with her words to comfort him. When he eventually escapes, Grace is nowhere to be found and investigators can find no proof that she ever existed. But Patch is convinced she is real and begins what will become a life-long search for Grace. His best friend, Saint, is devastated by the loss of the boy she knew, but pledges to keep helping him in his search. Following them both over their lifetimes, this is a story of love, obsession and the relentless search for justice.

Where on earth do I begin with this review? This is honestly one of the hardest reviews I’ve written. Not only because of the scale of this epic story, but because of the writing and the emotion it conveys. Both are difficult to describe adequately. But I will try my best to do it justice. 

Hypnotic, breathtaking and totally consuming, ‘All the Colours of the Dark’ is a masterpiece. It had been on my TBR for over a year and I had avoided reading as I was intimidated by its sheer size and all the hype that surrounded it. So, when some blogger friends invited me to join their readalong it seemed like the perfect chance to read it in a manageable way. But I failed miserably, devouring it in under a day. It stole my attention, made it impossible to think about anything else and pulled me in. I didn’t just read this book. I lived it. It wreaked havoc on my emotions and hasn’t left me since.

Chris Whitaker is a masterful storyteller and I was unprepared for the sheer beauty of what I was about to read when I started this book. The writing is breathtaking, cinematic, mesmerising, and somehow feels both gentle and raw. He paints pictures with words, just as Grace did in the darkness for Patch, using imagery and prose that is poetic, evocative and colourful. Complex, intricate, epic and sweeping, it is a story about what lurks in the shadows. It defies genre, merging a serial killer thriller, historical mystery, small-town drama and love story. The characters are richly drawn, nuanced, compelling and fractured people who make you care about them deeply. It is full of twists and turns, many of which pack a powerful punch, and moments of high drama and intensity are lightened with humour or contrast with the slower and quieter moments. Whitaker explores a variety of themes, some of which are dark and disturbing, while others inspire hope. Friendship, loss, obsession, morality and the pursuit of justice feature heavily, but it is love, trauma and human resilience that are at the centre of this story. 

Phenomenal, moving, mysterious and utterly magnificent, this is my favourite book so far this year. I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Whitaker is the author of the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling All The Colours Of The Dark. His other acclaimed and bestselling novels include We Begin At The End, Tall Oaks, and All The Wicked Girls.

Chris’s novels have been translated into thirty languages and have won the CWA Gold Dagger, the CWA John Creasey Dagger, the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, the Ned Kelly International Award, and numerous awards around the world.

His books have also been selected for the Read With Jenna Book Club, Waterstones Thriller of the Month, Barnes & Noble Book Club, Good Morning America Book Club, and for BBC2’s Between The Covers.

All The Colours Of The Dark is currently in development with Universal Pictures. We Begin At The End is currently in development with A24.

Chris was born in London and lives in the UK.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Children of Eve (Charlie Parker,22) by John Connolly

Published May 8th, 2025 by Hodder & Stoughton
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story, Hardboiled, Crime Series, Supernatural Fiction

Welcome to my review for this taut and twisty thriller. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Connolly grips like a vice and he’s an extraordinary storyteller’ Crime Time
‘One of the best thriller writers we have’ Harlan Coben

Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau, has gone missing, leaving behind a cell phone containing a single-word message: RUN.

Private investigator Charlie Parker is hired to find out why Riggins has fled, and from whom.

Parker discovers that Riggins, an ex-soldier, has been involved in the abduction of four children from Mexico: three girls and a boy, all belonging to the cartel boss Blas Urrea – except Urrea’s family is safe and well in Mexico, which means the abductees cannot be his children. Yet whoever they are, Urrea wants them back, and has dispatched his agents to secure them, even if it means butchering everyone who stands in their way.

One of those agents is Eugene Seeley, a clever, ruthless solver of other men’s problems. The other is an unknown woman.

Every child has a mother. Now Charlie Parker will face one unlike any other, and learn the terrifying truth about the Children of Eve.

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MY REVIEW:

Crime thriller meets supernatural fiction with a side of Inca mythology in the latest Charlie Parker thriller. Parker is investigating the disappearance of Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau. Meanwhile, someone is torturing and murdering those involved in the illegal trade of goods from Mexico. When Parker finds links between the two, the race is on to find Riggins before it’s too late.

John Connolly is pretty much the only author my husband reads, so when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read the latest in his Charlie Parker series, The Children of Eve, I jumped at the chance. I was excited but also nervous. Would I feel lost starting a series so far in? And would I love this series as much as Mr. Bibliotreasures?

Exquisitely written, cleverly choreographed and filled with a large cast of richly drawn characters, it’s easy to see why John Connolly and the Parker series are so popular. He certainly has a new fan in this reader. Jumping into a series on book 22 isn’t ideal and, as expected, I didn’t really know what was going on to begin with. It took me a little bit of time to get into the book as I had to learn who the recurring characters were and forge a connection with them. But before long I was completely hooked. I particularly loved how Connolly merged supernatural and mythological elements with a complex and layered thriller. And that ending! Talk about making me want to come back for more!

Taut, tense and twisty, I highly recommend this one. Now I just need to find time to go back and read this series from the beginning.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and have, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a “gofer” at Harrods department store in London. I studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which I continue to contribute, although not as often as I would like. I still try to interview a few authors every year, mainly writers whose work I like, although I’ve occasionally interviewed people for the paper simply because I thought they might be quirky or interesting. All of those interviews have been posted to my website, http://www.johnconnollybooks.com.

I was working as a journalist when I began work on my first novel. Like a lot of journalists, I think I entered the trade because I loved to write, and it was one of the few ways I thought I could be paid to do what I loved. But there is a difference between being a writer and a journalist, and I was certainly a poorer journalist than I am a writer (and I make no great claims for myself in either field.) I got quite frustrated with journalism, which probably gave me the impetus to start work on the novel. That book, Every Dead Thing, took about five years to write and was eventually published in 1999. It introduced the character of Charlie Parker, a former policeman hunting the killer of his wife and daughter. Dark Hollow, the second Parker novel, followed in 2000. The third Parker novel, The Killing Kind, was published in 2001, with The White Road following in 2002. In 2003, I published my fifth novel – and first stand-alone book – Bad Men. In 2004, Nocturnes, a collection of novellas and short stories, was added to the list, and 2005 marked the publication of the fifth Charlie Parker novel, The Black Angel. In 2006, The Book of Lost Things, my first non-mystery novel, was published.

Charlie Parker has since appeared in five additional novels: The Unquiet, The Reapers (where he plays a secondary role to his associates, Louis and Angel), The Lovers, The Whisperers, and The Burning Soul. The eleventh Charlie Parker novel, The Wrath of Angels, will be available in the UK in August 2012 and in the US in January 2013.

The Gates launched the Samuel Johnson series for younger readers in 2009, followed by Hell’s Bells (UK)/The Infernals (US) in 2011. A third Samuel Johnson novel should be finished in 2013.

I am also the co-editor, with fellow author Declan Burke, of Books to Die For, an anthology of essays from the world’s top crime writers in response to the question, “Which book should all lovers of crime fiction read before they die?” Books to Die For is available in the UK as of August 2012, and will be available in the US in October 2012.

I am based in Dublin but divide my time between my native city and the United States, where each of my novels has been set.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliohphiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Into the Fire by G. D. Wright

Published June 5th, 2025 by Avon Books
Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Police Procedural, Legal Story

Welcome to my review for this heart-stopping thriller. Thank you to Avon Books for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the gripping crime novel in which a heroic act ends up ripping a small town apart with devastating consequences…

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HE RUNS INTO THE FLAMES A HERO.

Steve thought he had left his troubled past behind. Living a quiet life with his wife and children, everything changes the night he rescues a baby from a burning house, becoming an unexpected national hero.

HE EMERGES FROM THE ASHES A SUSPECT.

But as the spotlight shines brighter, so does the scrutiny, and a shocking accusation is made – that Steve is the man responsible for an unsolved murder in Beachbrook years prior.

BUT WHICH ONE IS HE REALLY?

As his world unravels, public opinion is firmly divided. Steve pleads his innocence, but DS Sue Willmott is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened all those years ago.

After all, even heroes hide secrets of their own.

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MY REVIEW:

Into the Fire has taken bookstagram by storm. And after reading it I can tell you that it deserves every bit of the hype. A story of heroism, secrets, reckoning and redemption, it begins when Steve runs into the flames to save a baby from a burning house. He is hailed a hero. But Steve has secrets that soon come to light, turning him from saviour to suspect in an unsolved murder years earlier. As his life falls apart, Steve pleads his innocence. Meanwhile, DS Sue Wilmott is determined to get to the truth. What really happened all those years ago? And is Steve a hero or a villain? 

Dark, suspenseful, gut-wrenching and consuming, I was not prepared for this magnificent thriller. Unbearably tense and psychologically rich, G. D. Wright’s storytelling is exquisite, holding me in the palm of his hands from the first page until the last. It was my first time reading this author and now I totally get the hype around his books. A talent to watch on the thriller scene, he’s knocked it out of the park with this first-class thriller and I can’t wait to go back and read his debut.

Told from multiple points of view, the characters are richly drawn, relatable and deeply human, pulling me into their lives and quickly making me invested in them as their stories unfurled. They are haunted by the ghosts of their past and marked by the pain of their trauma, which Wright makes you feel vividly. Enmeshed in heartache, you get the sense that no-one is going to come out of this unscathed. It’s powerful, moving, and a much deeper story than your average thriller. And the final line of the epilogue  😭😭😭 Oh, my heart. 

Heart-stopping, twisty, forbidding and unpredictable, this is a must-read. So run to the nearest bookshop or click on the link on that website and buy this book now.

Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Amazon:
My name is Gary (pen name G.D. Wright) and I live on the south east coast of England with my wife and two young children.

I joined Kent Police at the age of 18, working on the front line in a variety of uniformed roles until the age of 29 when, completely out of the blue, I suffered two cardiac ‘events’, and was subsequently diagnosed with a hereditary and incurable disease of the heart (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy if you’re being fussy!). As a result, I had an internal defibrillator implanted in me, and I had to retire from the police aged 30.

One door closed, but another opened, and my wife and I bought a coffee shop in Ramsgate Harbour. We spent eight of the happiest years of our lives there but, when the kiddies came along, it just wasn’t sustainable. Family comes first, every single time (a theme in my books…), and the simple fact was that we knew our summers should be spent with the kids, not working seven days a week. In 2022, we sold our ‘third baby’ (the coffee shop, not an actual baby – although… what a plot line for the future… making a mental note…), and I took to writing full time.

Fast forward to now. I’ve signed a two book deal with Avon UK (part of the Harper Collins family), and my debut was released in August 2024. It’s called AFTER THE STORM, and it’s a police procedural with a twisty, emotional hook. My second novel, INTO THE FIRE, is coming in the summer of 2025.

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor

Published June 5th 2025 by Pan Macmillan
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Lesbian Literature

Welcome to my review for this surprising thriller. Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘This is a double cross thriller, a cat and mouse chase, and a delectable story of when someone becomes obsessed’ – 5* Reader Review

‘This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t put it down’ – 5* Reader Review

Why would my best friend want to destroy my life? Girl Falling is an atmospheric, psychological mystery from the award-winning author of Dirt Town.

Finn and her closest friend Daphne grew up in the imposing shadow of Australia’s Blue Mountains. Their uneasy bond forged from both losing their sisters at a young age. Now in their twenties, Daphne is at university, while Finn remained in the mountains, falling in love with newcomer Magdu. A young woman with troubles of her own.

After tensions arise during Magdu and Daphne’s first meeting, Finn is looking forward to a day of rock climbing and bonding for the three women on the cliffs near their town. But nothing goes as planned, and in a horrific accident, Magdu falls to her death.

In the aftermath, the friends become the focus of a police investigation. Was it really an accident? Or did something far more sinister play out that day?

Bold, dramatic and utterly compelling, Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor forces us to confront the stories we tell ourselves about the people we love.

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MY REVIEW:

Finn and her best friend Daphne forged a bond over their shared tragedies. Now in their twenties, Daphne is away at university, while Finn has remained in their hometown and has fallen in love with newcomer, Magdu. Finn is excited for her best friend and girlfriend to meet, but there is tension from their first meeting. So when Daphne suggests they all go climbing as a way to bond, Finn is excited. But things take a tragic turn when Magdu falls to her death. As the police investigate, they begin to question whether Magdu’s death was really an ,or something much more sinister…

Suspenseful, moving, compelling and surprising, Girl Falling is an unpredictable thriller that kept me on my toes. Skillfully written, intricately interwoven and cleverly plotted, this was my first time reading a book by Hayley Scrivenor, but it won’t be my last. Scrivener knows how to keep her readers on their toes, convincing you that you’ve got it all sussed only to pull the rug from under you. And that ending! Never in a million years would I have predicted what happened! It made me want to re-read the whole thing again just to see what clues I’d missed along the way. 

The story is told by Finn, with flashbacks that reveal the history of her friendship with Daphne, allowing the reader to slowly understand the dynamics of their relationship and why Finn feels in Daphne’s debt. And as the book starts with Finn asking why her best friend would want to destroy her life, it feels like I spent the story looking for clues of Daphne’s duplicity and their toxic friendship. And, I admit, that Daphne seemed more and more unhinged as the story went on. But, in the present, the police investigation gives us a reason to distrust both girls. I love an unreliable narrator so I loved that there were potentially two of them in this book. Is Finn telling the truth? Or Daphne? I was never quite sure and loved the extra tension it brought to the story never knowing who to trust. 

A shocking and surprising thriller with an ending you won’t forget, add this to your TBR now. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hayley Scrivenor is the author of DIRT TOWN, which published internationally in 2022 (published as DIRT CREEK in the U.S., where it was a USA TODAY bestseller) and quickly became a #1 Australian bestseller. The novel has been shortlisted for multiple national and international awards. In 2023, it won a Lambda Literary Award and General Fiction Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards. DIRT TOWN has been translated into several languages. GIRL FALLING, described as “a remarkable exercise in complex storytelling written in Scrivenor’s idiosyncratic, metaphorically vivid prose”, is her second novel.

Hayley has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong and lives on Dharawal country, on the east coast of Australia.

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The School Gates by A. A. Chaudhuri

Publised June 5th, 2025 by Hera Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Ficiton, Noir Fiction, Urban Fiction, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review for this heart-stopping thriller. Thank you to Alex and Hera Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

First comes gossip … then comes revenge

When single mum Lola Martinez’s son, Luca, starts school, she feels that she’ll never fit in with the yummy mummies in the playground. Confident, married to wealthy men, with ample free time, they are everything she isn’t.

However, Lola is invited into the inner circle, surrounded by seemingly friendly people, even if Lola’s silence about her child’s father puzzles them. Despite herself, Lola quickly becomes involved in playground politics, making as many enemies as friends.

But then Lola is brutally murdered, her death rocking the close-knit community. As the police investigate the case, they discover that Lola was hiding many secrets – as are the mums in her new social circle. But who had the most reason to kill her? And who else might unwittingly hold the answers to what happened that night?

An addictive psychological thriller with an end twist that will make you gasp, for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Frieda McFadden. If you loved Big Little Lies, you’ll adore this.

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MY REVIEW:

When her son, Luca, starts school, single mum, Lola, feels like she will never fit in with the other mums at the school gates. She’s nothing like these confident ‘yummy mummies’ with their perfect husbands, big houses and ample free time. Somehow, she’s invited into their inner circle, and at first they appear friendly.  But soon Lola finds herself embroiled in playground politics and her new friends become enemies. Then one night, on her way home from the annual parents Christmas party, Lola is brutally murdered and the police discover that Lola and her friends have been keeping secrets. Are these secrets the key to unmasking who killed Lola and why?

Anyone with kids knows the minefield that is the school gates, playground politics and mum friends. In her latest superb thriller, A. A. Chaudhuri takes that familiar everyday situation and turns it into a nightmare. Perfectly capturing the tricky dynamics of the playground and that group who rule the school, these women are instantly recognisable. And if you thought you disliked them before Lola died, that was nothing compared to how despicable and unlikeable they became after her death. I was raging at their attitudes and felt sure that at least one of them knew the truth about her murder. 

Masterfully written, psychologically rich and unbearably tense, this is a heart-stopping thriller. Alex just gets better with each book! I was in the palm of her hand as she spun the threads of this disturbing story to suspenseful perfection, cleverly concealing the truth in plain sight. The air was thick with secrets and a cloud of suspicion hung over everyone as the police tried to get to the truth about Lola’s murder. I held on for dear life, on the edge of my sea and turning the pages ferociously. And every time I thought I knew the full story…BAM! Another twist pulled the rug from under me and changed everything. And what twists they were! I don’t think I’ve ever felt so devastated and emotionally wrecked by a reveal as I did with this book. Alex, how could you do that to me?!

The story is told by two narrators in dual timelines. First we have Lola who narrates in the present on the night of her murder and then switches to telling  her story through flashbacks. A complicated character, Lola is a devoted single mum, has a lot of strength but she’s also a complete wreck. There’s a constant malevolent presence from the traumatic event in her past that’s left her living in fear and with a sense of isolation, even when she’s surrounded by people. She’s forced to keep what happened a secret in order to protect those she loves but is always looking over her shoulder. Her anxiety is palpable and the flashbacks are a ticking timebomb of sheer dread as they count down to her murder. Our other narrator, Detective Inspector John Banner, is a relatable and likeable character. You can feel the emotional toll the case is taking on him and his chapters are full of tension as he determinedly tries to solve the crime. 

Deliciously dark, jaw-droppingly tense and unputdownable, this is a must-read for any thriller fan.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A.A. Chaudhuri is a former City lawyer turned thriller writer, born and raised in Portsmouth, but who now lives in Surrey with her family. Once a highly ranked British junior tennis player, competing in the national championships and a member of the national squad, she went on to tour the women’s professional satellite circuit as a teenager and achieved a world ranking of 650.

THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION, published by LUME BOOKS in July and December 2019, are her first crime book series, plunging readers into London’s glamorous legal world and featuring series’ heroine, Maddy Kramer, fiction’s first female City lawyer amateur sleuth, who teams up with charismatic DCI Jake Carver to solve a gruesome series of murders and a puzzling abduction. THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION were published as audio books by Isis Audio on 1st January and 1st March 2021, both read by David Thorpe.

She has also contributed an original short story THE ENCOUNTER to crime anthology GIVEN IN EVIDENCE published by LUME BOOKS in May 2020, has written many articles and short stories for The Crime Writers’ Association.

Her first psychological thriller with HERA BOOKS, SHE’S MINE, was published in e-book, paperback and audio in August 2021, the second, THE LOYAL FRIEND, was published in all three formats in June 2022 and published in the USA by Canelo US on 20th June 2023. Her third, THE FINAL PARTY, was published on May 25th 2023. It was released in audiobook on 1st February 2024.

Her fourth psychological thriller – UNDER HER ROOF – was released in e-book, paperback and audio on 13th June 2024.

The Scribe, was re-published as THE LAWYER by Joffe Books on 7th October 2024 in e-book and paperback. The Abduction was re-published as THE PARTNER by Joffe Books on 24th February 2025 in e-book and paperback.

Alex’s fifth psychological thriller with Hera Books – THE SCHOOL GATES – will be released on 5th June 2025 in ebook and paperback.

Besides being an avid reader, she enjoys fitness, films, anything Italian and a good margarita!

All of Alex’s books have achieved bestseller status on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Australia and Amazon Canada.

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Mrs Spy by M. J. Robotham

Published May 15th, 2025 by Aria
Mystery, Historical Fiction, Humorous Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Dark, twisty, and thoroughly entertaining, Mrs Spy is a Thursday Murder Club for spies. You won’t be able to put it down’ – Ava Glass

Get ready for a pulse-pounding, laugh-out-loud ride through 1960s London as Maggie Flynn, unexpected MI5 operative and single mum, unravels the intelligence agency’s most treacherous secrets.

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Maggie Flynn isn’t your typical 1960s mum.

She’s a spy, an unsuspecting operative for MI5, stalking London’s streets in myriad disguises.

Widowed and balancing her clandestine career with raising a Beatles-mad teenage daughter, Maggie finds comfort and purpose in her profession – providing a connection to her late husband, whose own covert past only surfaced after his death.

But Maggie’s world spins out of control when a chance encounter with a mysterious Russian agent triggers a chilling revelation: he knew her husband. And what’s worse, the agent suspects someone on home soil betrayed him.

As Maggie searches for answers, she’ll question everyone – and everything – she thought she could trust. In the murky and perilous world of espionage, can she outsmart those determined to keep her silenced?

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MY REVIEW:

London, 1965. Maggie Flynn is anything but the typical 1960s mum. Because Maggie is a spy working for MI5 who stalks the streets of London in her many disguises and struggling to balance her clandestine career with single motherhood now she is widowed. But when Maggie makes a surprising discovery about her late husband, things get even more out of control as she is drawn deeper into the dangerous and murky side of espionage.

Intelligent, suspenseful, witty, intriguing and thrilling, this was such a treat! A nostalgic trip to the 60s that is rich in historic detail, M. J. Robotham has created a story that is evocatively told, cleverly plotted, intricately interwoven and twisty, pulling you into the story and holding you captive until the very last page. One of my favourite parts of the writing was the gorgeous imagery and metaphors that Robotham used, bringing the story to life around me. A story filled with treachery, secrets, subterfuge, lies and grief, chapter by chapter the plot unfolds, themes of family, loss and grief are delicately woven into the narrative, allowing the reader to empathise with the characters and the situations they find themselves in. I loved the lighthearted and upbeat vibe the story had and often found myself laughing out loud. Robotham expertly merged this with the stories darker and more suspenseful moments, keeping the lighthearted vibe whilst also keeping me on tenterhooks and making my heart race.

I loved Maggie. She has an unusual job but she’s relatable and easy to root for, mixing the ordinary and extraordinary of her life as a spy and role as a mother. I loved how fierce, upbeat and light-hearted she was, her narration was so entertaining and funny, keeping me totally immersed in the story and Maggie’s world. Maggie’s mum, Gilda, was a fantastic and ebullient character, and I loved Maggie’s banter with fellow spy Frank. The background characters were also richly drawn and there was an abundance of unsavory and unlikeable characters that I loved to hate.

A dark yet delightful historical mystery, Mrs Spy is perfect for fans of Dear Mrs Bird and Lessons in Chemistry.

Rating: 🔍🔍🔍🔍

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M J Robotham saw herself as an aspiring author from childhood, but was waylaid by journalism, birth, children and life. After twenty years as a midwife and a Creative Writing MA, she is a full-time author, writing historical fiction as Mandy Robotham. She lives in Gloucestershire with her partner.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx